The Marriage Auction: Book One(86)

“I expect you in the formal dining room in one hour,” Ms. Bancroft demanded, turned, and left without further discussion.

“Wow, that sucked,” Ruby murmured.

I came up to her and pushed the strands of loose hair away from her face. “It will be okay. She’s going to be hard on you, but one day, you’ll thank her for it.”

“If you say so,” she sighed. “I’ll see you down there?”

I shook my head. “No, but tonight is my night to take you out on a date. Ms. Bancroft already knows you are to be done with your studies for the day by six p.m. so you can change into something befitting a night out on the town.”

“Where are you taking me?” she asked, her eyes lighting up with a hint of excitement.

I smiled and waggled my brows as I backed away from the temptress. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Not even a hint?” she called out. “What should I wear?”

I let my eyes rake over her scantily clad form. “What you’re wearing is sexy as hell, but I now know you’re even more stunning without it.”

Those rounded cheeks of hers went pink once again, and she hit me with a cocky, rather sinful smile of her own. “I’ll make sure to show off this body you like so much,” she goaded heatedly.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time, love. I’ll take you up on everything you’re offering.”

She tipped her head back and laughed melodically. I was happy to have been able to make her laugh after the small battle with Ms. Bancroft.

“Good luck today. You’re gonna need it,” I warned. The governess would not be easy to please. Unlike me. Ruby pleased me simply by existing.





Episode 36


Judge. Jury. Executioner.



SUTTON

Thirty minutes before the fight…

“How could you marry a woman from the ugliest family this state has ever seen?” My ma’s words shook with emotion. “You’ve broken my heart, Sutton. You better find a way to fix this!” she cried, pointing her finger straight at my chest.

I turned around and watched as my wife’s fine ass in a pair of tight jeans rolled straight out the front door as fast as her worn boots could take her. The same boots she’d worn when she married me.

With a few steps I went to the window and saw her run across our land toward her own farm. After what my mother’d said, who could blame her?

“Jesus Christ! Ma!” I shouted as the fury boiled just under the surface of my skin. “What the hell were you thinking? Spoutin’ that shit in front of my wife! She’s. My. Wife. Ma! Not some woman I met on the street.”

“Sutton, I can’t… What is your father going to think? Your grandfather? Good Lord!” She rubbed at her brow. “Th is is unacceptable.”

“What’s unacceptable is my mother coming here and making my wife feel like garbage in her own home. Because that’s what this is. Her home,” I hollered, making my point as clear as day.

“You expect me to just accept her? A McAllister?” She placed her hand on her chest, and tears filled her eyes.

“Yeah, I do. I expect my mother, the only woman I’ve ever looked up to, to give the woman I chose for my own a fucking chance. You labeled her trash because of her family name. That goes against everything you and Dad ever taught us.”

“That isn’t fair when it pertains to them, and you know it!” she complained.

“Isn’t it? You just called her family ugly and told me I needed to fix the situation. My marriage is a situation to you. Did you even once think I might have married her because I love her? Because I want to grow old with her? Because I see something in her that you don’t? Jesus, Ma! You took one look at her and became her judge, jury, and executioner in a single breath. She didn’t even stand a chance with you. And out of everyone in my life, you were the one person I expected to have my back. To give Dakota the chance to win you over without the reputation of her family hanging over her head. And what did you do? Called her ugly and made it clear she wasn’t welcome.”

“Son, I didn’t call her ugly. I was referring to her family. She’s just as gorgeous as her mother was. The woman your father originally wanted to marry until Everett stole her away. I took Carol McAllister’s sloppy seconds, according to the people in town.” She sniffed and looked away.

“Oh, I see. Because you were hurt over twenty-five years ago, you took one look at my wife and demolished her where she stood. All because you’ve got some unfinished baggage that you need to work out with Dad over feeling like second place to Carol McAllister. Do you hear how messed-up that is? You hurt a young woman, a woman I happen to care deeply for, because of your own insecurities.”

“Yes!” she hollered and slapped her sides with her hands, clearly upset. “Okay, yes! I did. I did that.” She rubbed at her forehead and started to pace. “Goodness gracious, what have I done?” she choked out. “This is not me. I can’t believe I took out my own demons on that poor girl. She probably knows how bad this change in our family dynamic is going to be, and I just lived up to her fears.” She lifted her fist to her mouth and shook her head. “I’m sorry, son.” Her lip trembled. “I’m so sorry.”